House Resolution 2 Maryland Sovereignty Under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
Madam Chairwoman and Delegates of the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee:
The Maryland Constitution states the following:
We, The People of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty, and taking into our serious consideration the best means of establishing a good Constitution in this State for the sure foundation and more permanent security thereof, declare:
Declaration of Rights (DR), Article 2. The Constitution of the United States, and the Laws made, or which shall be made, in pursuance thereof, and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, are, and shall be the Supreme Law of the State; and the Judges of this State, and all the People of this State, are, and shall be bound thereby; anything in the Constitution or Law of this State to the contrary notwithstanding.
DR, Article 3. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution thereof, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people thereof.
DR, Article 4. That the People of this State have the sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal government and police thereof, as a free, sovereign and independent State.
DR, Article 6. That all persons invested with the Legislative or Executive powers of Government are the Trustees of the Public, and, as such, accountable for their conduct . . . .
DR, Article 9. That no power of suspending Laws or the execution of Laws, unless by, or derived from the Legislature, ought to be exercised, or allowed.
DR, Article 13. That every man hath a right to petition the Legislature for the redress of grievances in a peaceable and orderly manner.
DR, Article 44. That the provisions of the Constitution of the United States, and of this State, apply, as well in time of war, as in time of peace; and any departure therefrom, or violation thereof, under the plea of necessity, or any other plea, is subversive of good Government, and tends to anarchy and despotism.
DR, Article 45. This enumeration of Rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others retained by the People.
Article II (Executive Department), Section 9. He [the Governor] shall take care that the Laws are faithfully executed.
AND
The Constitution of the United States states the following:
Article I, Section 8 enumerates the specific powers and responsibilities of the federal Congress.
Article IV, Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion . . . .
Amendment IX. The enumeration in the constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Therefore, I submit to you the following:
The Maryland Constitution is the Law of our State. Therefore, based on current Law, the Legislature and the Governor have a constitutional responsibility to reject federal legislation which subverts the State of Maryland’s sovereign rights or the People’s rights. To not do so, is to actually disobey the Maryland Constitution, which each of you and the Governor has taken an oath to support. With or without this resolution HJ2, Maryland’s Legislature has no choice but to reject federal law when it goes beyond the U.S. Constitution’s bounds, as is the case in many pieces of legislation, enacted in the past, as well as some under consideration currently. I look forward to your resolve to follow Maryland’s law as you consider and give a favorable report to HJ2.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Sharretts
Monkton, MD
March 8, 2010
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